Refracto-ophthalmometer.



N0. 704,!50. Patented .luly 8, |902.

H. VAN PATTUN.

REFRACTU-OPHTHALMOMETEB.

(Applicuton filed Oct4 30. 1901..

2 Sheets-Sheet l.

U r Mr/zey.

No. 704,|50. Patented luly 8, |902.

H. VAN PATTN. BEFBAGTU-DPHTHALMOMETER.

(Application led Oct. 30, 1901,)

2 h i-S i2. S ee s/LPISee l UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

HERBERT VAN PATTON, OF MEADVILLE, PENNSYLVANIA.

REFRACTO-OPHTHALNIOMETER.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 704,150, dated July8,1902.

-Application filed October 30,1901. Serial No. 80,545. (No model.)

To @ZZ whom. t 717/503/ concern:

Be it known that 1, HERBERT VAN PA'r'roN, a citizen of the UnitedStates, residing at Meadville,in the county of Crawford and State ofPennsylvania, have invented certain new and useful Improvements inRefracto-Ophthalmometers,of which the followingisa specication.

My invention relates to devices for determining astigmatism and muscularinsufiiciency in the human eye, and has for its object to provide aninstrument combining the means for measuring astigmatism objectively andsubjectively and also for determining the degree of muscularinsufficiency.

In the drawings, Figure 1 is a front elevation of the completeinstrument; Fig. 2, a fragmental view of the instrument for measuringastigmatism objectively; Fig. 3, a View of the lenses and disk used inthe objective instrument; Fig. 4, a rear View of the objectlveinstrument; Fig. 5, a side View in elevation of same; Fig. 6, a frontView in elevation of the subjective instrument and the device fordetermining muscular insufficiency; Fig. 7', a view in cross-section ofFig. 6 on line a; looking in the direction of the arrow; Fig. 8, alikeView of Fig. 6 on line y] y looking in the direction of the arrow, andFig. 9 a rear view of Fig. 6.

Referring to the drawings, in which similar reference charactersindicate like parts in all the views, the base of my instrument isindicated by the numeral l, having the horizontal bar 2 secured theretoat 3. A plate 4 is secured to one end of the bar 2 by means of screw 4c,which in turn supports a rod 5, secured to said plate by means of thestrapiron 6 and screws 6r. A disk 7 is secured to the T-shaped end 8 ofthe rod 5 by the screws 9. The front of disk 7 has a background ofblack, on which is painted a center of white 10 and concentric circularbands of white 11.

12 represents five radial white lines intersecting the three inner blackbands 13, two lines being on the horizontal, one on the perpendicular,and lines at forty-five degrees from horizontal. In the marginal circleof black white spaces 141 are provided, in which are inserted numeralsindicating the angle of the lines 12, beginning at the left as zero andcontinuing to one hundred and eighty degrees. A hole 15 is provided inthe center of the disk. The rod 5 has an upwardly-extending arrn 16,having a shoulder 16 at the end thereof, on which is supported a barrelportion 16", in which is mounted for rotation an eye-tube 17, providedWith a suitable minus lens 18 in its sight end, While inside the tube 17is a smaller tube 19, carrying a plus lens and arranged for adjustmentwith the lens 18 by means of the rod 20, extending through the slot 21in tube 17, surrnounted by the button 22. 23 represents a disk mountedover the end of tube 17, which is marked, as shown in Fig. 3, toindicate degrees of a circle. The disk 23'has its center cut out, asshown at 23, so as not to obstruct the view of the eye of patient asseen through the tube 17 by the operator.

24 and 25 represent disks revolubly mounted on the side of disk 23 bymeans of the studs 2&1 and 25, diametrically arranged on said disk onthe side toward the disk 7. The disks 24 and 25 have mounted near theirperiphery a series of lenses 26 of varying strength, those in disk 24being plus lenses, while those in the disk 25 are minus lenses, and thetwo disks 24E and 25 are so arranged that the lenses may be successivelyturned into the line of vision of the eye-tube 17.

27 represents a spring-clamp secured to the head of each stud 21O and25a to press against the disk mounted on the respective stud and has aprojection on the side toward the disk to t into holes 28 in the disk,this construction being intended to insure a centering of the lens.Should it be desired to change the disk on either stud, it may be doneby removing the spring-clamp 27 on the head of the stud, thus permittingthe removal of the disk and the placing of another,rafter which thespring-clamp is again secured to the head of the stud. Y

29 is a pointer on the top of the barrel portion 16h.

31 represents the frame of myfsubjective instrument, secured to the rod2 by means of the screw 31, having the eye-tube 32 mounted for rotationtherein, which has the open ing 32a, through which the patient looks.

33 represents a disk secured to the end of the eye-tube 32. The disk 33has its edge divided into degrees of a circle, beginning at ICO zero andrunning on each side of zero to one hundred and eighty degrees on theopposite side thereof.

34 and 34a represent pointers secured to the top of the frame 3l, thetwo pointers being arranged to indicate points on the disks 33 ninetydegrees from each other.

35 is a circular rack secured to the surface of disk 33, and 36 a shaftmounted in the frame 3l, which may be turned by means of the milled head37, and having the piniongear 38, adapted to mesh with the rack 35 torevolve the disk 33. frame 31 and mounted for rotation on the disk 33 bymeans of the studs 39 and 40 are disks 4l, 42, 43, and 44, having lenses41, 42a, 43, and 44a, respectively, arranged in a series near theperiphery of said disks and also so arranged that each lens may bebrought successively into the line of vision of the tube 32.

45 and 46 are disks carrying lenses'45a and 46, arranged near theperiphery of the disks, and are intended to determine the'. lensesnecessary to correct other optical deficiencies that may be discovered.

47 is an arm revolublyinounted on eye-tube 32 and having near its freeend a slot 47,

48 is a disk having a screw 48a :inserted in the slot 47 a and having aset-screw 48" to hold the disk 48 in any desired position on the arm 47.The disk 48 has a circular aperture 49 in its center. A disk 50,having acylindrical glass rod 5l mounted in its center, is fixed for rotation inthe aperture 49 by means of the tube 52, secured to the end of saiddisk. The periphery of disk 50 is cut into a circular rack 50, whichmeshes with a pinion 53 on the end of shaft 54, journaled in disk 48through an aperture 55 therein.

56 is a circular head on shaft 54 to rotate said shaft.

57 is a rod mounted by means of a loop 58 to the base l, and isvertically adjusted thereon by means of the set-screw 581.

59 is a chin-rest mounted on the rod 57, and 60 reflectors behindelectric-light globes 61.

62 is a wire to convey the electricity to the globes G1, the rod 57being made, preferably, tubular to receive the wire.

The operation is as follows: The patient rests his chin on the chin-rest59 and looks with one eye through the hole 15 in disk 7,V

the height of the chin-rest being adjusted, by means of the rod 57, loop58, and set-screw 58% to suit the patient. The electric lights 6l arethen turned on and the operator, looking through the eye-tube 17 at theeye of the patient, sees the concentric black and white bands 11 and 13on the face of disk 7 on the cornea of patients eye. Should these blackand white bands not be circular, but appear Hattened, an astigmatismexists, and the disks 24 and 25 are successively revolved into the lineof vision until the reflection of the circular bands appears as circleson the cornea of the eye of the patient. The lenses in the eyetube 17may be adjusted to enlarge or dimin- On the inside of theish the size ofthe reflection as it appears to the operator by moving the tube 19 awayfrom or toward the eye of the patient, as desired, bymeans of the button22. Having thus determined the cylinder of the lens required to correctthe astigmatism of the cornea of the eye and should the white lines 12of the reflection not appear in their proper place, the eye-tube 17 isrevolved by means of the milled ring 30 until the lines 12 appear intheir proper places. The pointer 29 will then indicate on the disk 23the axis of the astigmatism. The other eye is then examined in the sameway. Having determined the lenses and their axes required to correct theastigmatism in each eye by means of the objective instrument as abovedescribed, one of the patients eyes is placed at the opening 32 of theeye-tube 32 and looks at a chart at a distance of twenty feet. Thelenses in disks 41 and 42 are rotated so as to form the samelcombination of lenses as had been formed by the use of the objectiveinstrument to correct the astigmatism in that eye while the disk 33 isrevolved by rotating the shaft 36, so that the same axis of the lens isturned as was shown to be required by the disk 23 and pointer 29. Thelenses in disks 45 and 46 are then turned into line of sight until thepatient is able to read the matter on the chart clearly. The disk 48 isthen adjusted opposite the other eye than that being examined, so thatthe cylindrical glass rod 51 is opposite the pupil thereof and both eyeslook at a flame at a distance of twenty feet. The eye at opening 32uwillsee the flame naturally, while the eye opposite the rod 51 will seeit as a streak of light. Any deviation of the streak of light as seen byeye looking through glass cylinder 5l from center of light as seen byeye looking through 32n indicates muscular insuiiiciency. To correctthis fault, the lenses in disks 43 44 are rotated before the eye atopening 32 until the proper combination is obtained to throw the streakof light back so as to cross the light as seen by the eye lookingthrough glass rod 51. The cylindrical rod 51 may be rotated by means ofthe gearing 50 and 53 to any angle desired by the operator and as he maythink necessary to complete the test. The same operation is repeated asto the other eye of the patient.

Having described my invention, what I claim isj 1. In a device forcorrecting deficiencies in eyesight, a disk having a central aperture,concentric black and white bands thereon and lines indicating degrees ofa circle, a telescopic eye-tube at the rear thereof opposite IOC TIO

said central aperture, a disk around the end v of said tube, lines onsaid disk indicating the degrees of a circle,and disks revolubly mountedon said disk each having a multiplicity of lenses arranged in a seriesnear its periphery, substantially as shown and described.

2. In a device for correcting deficiencies in eyesight,a suitablestandard ,a bracket mounted thereon, a disk attached thereto having acentral aperture, concentric circular bands of black and white on thefront of said disk and radial lines crossing said bands indicatingdegrees of a circle, the rear of said bracket extended upward to supporta barrel portion, a telescopic eye-tube mounted in said barrel portion,and disks, having a multiplicity of lenses arranged near theirperiphery,mounted to rotate said lenses into the line of vision of saideye-tube, substantially as shown and described.

3. In a device for correcting deficiencies in eyesight,a suitablestandard,a bracket mounted thereon, a disk mounted on said standard,concentric circular bands of black and white on the front of said diskand radial lines crossing said bands indicating degrees of a circle, therear of said bracket extended upward and supporting a barrel portion, aneyetube mounted in said barrel portion, a disk around the end of saidtube, radial lines on said disk indicating degrees of a circle, disksrevolubly mounted on said disk each having set therein a series oflenses near its periphery, a bar arranged for vertical adjustment onsaid standard and a chin-rest on said bar, substantially as shown anddescribed.

i. In a device for correcting deticienciesin eyesight, an eye-tubearranged for rotation, a disk mounted around the end thereof, amultiplicity of disks revolubly mounted on said disk and having settherein a series of lenses near their periphery, and means for rotatingsaid eye-tube and disks, substantially as shown and described.

ln a device for correcting deficiencies in eyesight, an eye-tubearranged for rotation, a disk mounted around the end of said eye-tube,the front of said disk being divided by radial lines into degrees of acircle, means for rotating said eye-tube and disk, studs on rear of'said disk, disks revolubly mounted on said studs and a series of lensesset in each said disk near its periphery,substantially as shown anddescribed.

6. In a device for correcting deficiencies in eyesight, a frame suitablymounted', an eyetube revolubly mounted thereon, a disk mounted aroundthe end of said eye-tube having its face divided by radial lines indegrees of a circle, pointers on said frame indicating points on saiddisk ninety degrees removed from each other, a circular rack fixed onsaid disk, a shaft journaled in said frame, and a pinion-gear keyed tothe shaft meshing with said circular rack, substantially as shown anddescribed.

7. In a device for correcting deticiencies in eyesight, a frame suitablymounted, an eyetube j ournaled therein, a disk mounted around the end ofsaid eye-tube having its face divided by radial lines in degrees of acircle, pointers on said frame indicating points on said disk ninetydegrees removed from each other, a circular rack iiXed on said disk, ashaft journaled in said frame, a pinion-gear keyed to the shaft meshingwith said circular rack, disks mounted for rotation on the rear of thefirst-mentioned disk, each of said disks having a series of lenses setnear its periphery, substantially as shown and described.

8. In a device for determining muscular insutticiency in eyes, a framesuitably mounted, an eye tube journaled therein, means attached to saideye-tube and to said frame for determining focal deficiencies ineyesight, au arm revolubly mounted on said eye-tube having a slot nearits free end, a disk adjustably mounted in said slot to regulate thedistance between said eye-tube and said disk to the distance between thepupils ot the eyes of the patient, and a cylindrical glass rod revolublymounted in said disk, substantially as shown and described.

9. In a device for determining muscular insufticiencyin eyes, a framesuitably mounted, an eye-tube jcurnaled therein,means attached to saideye-tube and to said frame for determining focal deiiciencies ineyesight, an arm revolubly mounted on said eye-tube having a slot nearits tree end, a circular plate mounted in said slot and adapted to beadjusted longitudinally of said arm, a cylindrical glass rod set in adisk journaled in said circular plate, a rack on the edge of said disk,and a gearwheel meshing with said rack and adapted to rotate said disk,substantially as shown and described.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification in thepresence of two subscribing witnesses.

. HERBERT VAN PATTONo l/Vitnesses:

CARL Dousnr,

JOHN A. Noarrmn.

IOO

